Charlotte Ross: Help Chimpanzees in Laboratories

Glee actress urges support of legislation to end invasive research on chimpanzees

In a video for The Humane Society of the United States, actress Charlotte Ross describes the misery that chimpanzees in laboratories must endure and urges the public to contact their United States legislators to support the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act H.R.1513 and S.810.

This commonsense legislation, which was recently introduced with strong, bipartisan support in Congress would phase out invasive research on chimpanzees in laboratories, retire the more than 500 government-owned chimpanzees to sanctuary, and end breeding of chimpanzees for invasive research. In addition, this legislation will save taxpayers nearly $30 million annually.

“I have always been fascinated with chimpanzees and their amazing abilities. I can’t imagine how difficult laboratory life must be for such intelligent and social animals who are so much like us,” said Ross. “I’m so glad I can help The Humane Society of the United States spread the word about what chimpanzees in labs are subjected to and how people can help. It’s time to end this wasteful and inhumane practice, once and for all.”

Approximately 1,000 chimpanzees live in six laboratories throughout the United States --the only developed country in the world that continues large-scale confinement of chimpanzees in laboratories. A 2008 HSUS undercover investigation into the largest of those labs revealed the barren and harsh conditions in which chimpanzees are kept.

Through the Chimps Deserve Better Campaign, The HSUS works to end the use of chimpanzees in harmful research and retire chimpanzees in labs to permanent and suitable sanctuaries to live out the remainder of their lives.

The main authors of the House and Senate companion bills are Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md. and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash, respectively.

Membership

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to The Humane Society of the United States are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The HSUS's tax identification number is 53-0225390.